What to do about systemic edema in rheumatic heart disease?

Written by Di Zhi Yong

Cardiology

Updated on January 16, 2025

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If the patient has rheumatic heart disease, the current treatment mainly focuses on symptomatic treatment. If the patient experiences generalized edema, it may be due to sodium and water retention causing the swelling. In this case, some diuretics can be used to reduce the workload on the heart and improve symptoms. It is recommended that the patient be hospitalized. During this period, some cardiac diuretics can be used to alleviate symptoms. If heart failure is corrected in time, such edema can be reduced. Active symptomatic treatment is still necessary to mitigate the patient's current condition, but during this period, it is also important to monitor changes in the patient's heart rate and blood pressure.

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Written by Jia Qiu Ju

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Rheumatic heart disease requires surgery under what circumstances?

Surgical treatment for rheumatic heart disease includes two methods: interventional surgery and surgical surgery. The indications for interventional surgery are moderate or severe mitral stenosis, a mitral valve area less than 1.5 square centimeters, accompanied by symptoms, cardiac function classification of grade II or higher, or moderate to severe mitral stenosis without symptoms but accompanied by pulmonary hypertension, with a pulmonary artery pressure greater than 50mmHg. Valve morphology suitable for percutaneous intervention means that the valve still has decent flexibility at midnight, with no significant calcification and subvalvular structural disease, no thrombus formation in the left atrium, and no moderate or severe mitral regurgitation. The indications for surgical surgery include moderate or severe mitral stenosis accompanied by symptoms of heart failure, cardiac function between grade III and IV, and patients who are unsuitable for percutaneous mitral valvuloplasty.

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Cardiology

47sec

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Are the symptoms of rheumatic heart disease severe?

Rheumatic heart disease is a type of organic heart disease where the heart valves are damaged, leading to stenosis and insufficiency. Symptoms vary with the extent of the damage. Mild damage does not significantly alter hemodynamics, and there may be no clinical symptoms, allowing for unrestricted physical activity. Severe damage results in noticeable changes in hemodynamics, presenting with symptoms of heart failure such as coughing, expectoration, cyanosis, palpitations and shortness of breath after activity, swelling of the lower limbs, and indigestion among other signs of heart dysfunction. Early treatment is necessary to prevent worsening of heart failure and to safeguard the patient’s life.

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Written by Fan Yan Fu

Cardiology

1min 7sec

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Can people with rheumatic heart disease eat raw onions?

Patients with heart disease must undergo lifestyle modification treatments before some specific treatments, which is a priority. What does improving lifestyle include? It includes appropriate exercise according to the patient's condition, a rational diet, a pleasant mental state, and adequate sleep, which are lifestyle practices adopted by all heart disease patients. A rational diet includes a certain amount of carbohydrates, a variety of fruits, vegetables, and more. As long as these are healthy dietary foods and the patient is not allergic and can tolerate them, they can be consumed. Can patients with rheumatic heart disease eat onions? Yes, they can. First of all, onions are just a type of food. As long as the patient does not have stomach diseases and can tolerate spicy foods, they can eat onions. Onions themselves do not have any special effects; they are simply a vegetable with a spicy taste. They might stimulate appetite, and when appetite is poor, using them may help increase it. Onions do not possess any special effects; they are merely a vegetable and can be consumed if tolerated.

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Written by Di Zhi Yong

Cardiology

44sec

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What to do about rheumatic heart disease joint pain?

If the patient has a history of rheumatoid arthritis or rheumatic heart disease, symptomatic treatment is primarily used in their treatment. If the patient experiences joint pain, it is suggested that they can use some non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) to control their symptoms. Another approach is to recommend Chinese herbal medicine treatments, including acupuncture and massage to relieve joint pain. Since rheumatic heart disease mainly manifests as a cardiac condition, particularly when the patient experiences palpitations and chest tightness, it is crucial to actively manage these symptoms using cardioprotective drugs or positive inotropic drugs to improve cardiac function.

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Written by Di Zhi Yong

Cardiology

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What should I do if rheumatic heart disease causes excessive sweating?

If patients frequently experience heart murmurs in the precordial area due to rheumatic heart disease, accompanied by palpitations, chest tightness, and sweating, it is recommended to treat with infusion therapy and use medication to control the patient's heart function. If the patient's heart function is corrected, the symptoms of sweating will also be alleviated or relieved. It is advised that patients visit a cardiology department and choose hospitalization to improve their symptoms. After treatment, long-term and regular oral medication is still needed, as this disease is prone to recurrence. Regular hospital visits for electrocardiograms and echocardiograms are also necessary. If the symptoms are severe, sometimes surgical treatment may be recommended to relieve the current sweating symptoms.